Performing the activities of travel agencies in Serbia during the Covid 19 virus pandemic

Abstract

This paper aims to show the extent to which travel agencies in Serbia are ready to operate in crises, such as the current one caused by the Covid 19 virus pandemic, and what consequences such a pandemic can have on the entire tourism industry of a country. To achieve these goals, data from various researches conducted during 2020 on the impact of the Covid 19 pandemic on the world tourism industry were used, as well as relevant statistical data from international organizations and state institutions of the Republic of Serbia. The paper concluded that travel agencies are highly dependent on state aid, but these resources are also limited. All solutions proposed by the Government of the Republic of Serbia are time-limited until the end of 2021 when there is hope that the virus will weaken, in which the planned vaccination of the population should play a major role. For travel agencies to be able to overcome situations such as the virus pandemic in the future, they need to work on new programs and adapt to new target groups and markets. New sales channels need to be opened, in case of some new crises, so that the agencies are ready and able to survive under the given circumstances.